Beautiful India

The new year started with an opportunity to travel to Hyderabad in India for a week, then a weekend in New Delhi and Agra to see the Taj Mahal. The last time I visited India was 14 years ago.

Hyderabad is fast growing as a technology services centre after Bengaluru. With over 10 million population in Hyderabad, the city is also well known for its biryani and mutton Haleem. One should not visit Hyderabad without eating the biryani. And the place to go for good biryani is a restaurant named Paradise.

Hyderabad is also the heart of the Telugu film industry and it is rich in history of Deccan kings and their empires. Diamonds like the famous Kohinoor and pearls were discovered in Hyderabad.

The charm of the old city called Charminar is a paradise for shoppers and tourists. The heart of Charminar is a monument with four minarets, surrounded with jewellery shops, textiles shops and fruits and vegetables stalls. The Mecca Masjid (mosque) is situated beside Charminar. The old city is lively, vibrant and crowded. And climbing to the top of Charminar will give you a good view of the old city.